Family Ties
by EmChar96
Summary: What if the Order had discovered the identity of the traitor before that fateful night in 1981? What if Sirius had gone to Dumbledore instead of pursuing his vigilante urge? What if the Potters had survived and gone on to become the family they should have been... DISCLAIMER (FOR WHOLE FIC) I do not own Harry Potter, the universe or the characters!


**Chapter One – Betrayed**

It was a strange feeling, similar one gets when they feel they are being watched, small hairs stand on end and a shiver travels down the spine. Albus Dumbledore experienced this very feeling as he sat behind his desk, his quill poised over a long piece of parchment, the words cut short by the peculiar sensation that had just swept over him. Shaking his head gently, he placed the tip against the parchment once more and then just as suddenly halted again, the feeling had returned stronger this time and more persistent. Dumbledore removed his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose with his long fingers and he was silently berating himself for succumbing to such childish emotions when his office door banged open announcing the arrival of a tall young man. The man had overgrown brown hair, dark eyes wide with worry and his chest was heaving with heavy exertion, his shirt plastered to his torso with sweat: Sirius Black.

"Professor…we've been betrayed…Pettigrew has given up James and Lily!" Sirius shouted between gasps, he had clearly sprinted from the very outskirts of Hogwarts, apparation taking him no farther within its walls. Dumbledore did not ask for details, they could wait, with the speed of a man half his age he crossed the room, placing a hand on Sirius' shoulder as he passed.

"Stay here." He commanded.

"But Professor-" Dumbledore turned to him, blue eyes piercing brown.

"Stay here. Act rashly and it could have consequences reaching further than you know." He opened the office door and left. Sirius heard a loud _crack_ as the door slid back into its frame.

James Potter's heart was beating loudly in his chest, he watched over his shoulder as his wife disappeared up the staircase clutching their son. The sound of splintering wood forced his attention back to the front door; there he stood Lord Voldemort stepping over their threshold with ease, his serpentine face twisted into an expression of cruel glory.

"Well, well Mr Potter…" Voldemort breathed.

"You will not hurt my family." James declared, the blood now roaring in his ears.

"And how do you plan to prevent that…without a wand." The red eyes took in James' empty hands and the smile widened. "Did the _great_ Albus Dumbledore teach you nothing?" The laughter came in high, cold notes as Voldemort raised his wand.

" _Avada kedvra._ " The green light sped towards James, but mere inches from his chest, it exploded, the spell shattered like glass, the remnants ricocheting back on its caster; there was an unearthly scream and then…nothing.

James choked, not realising he had been holding his breath, the feeling of life suddenly seemed to overpower him and he staggered backwards.

"James," The soft yet authoritative voice made James look up to see Albus Dumbledore step into the small hallway, wand in hand.

"Professor." James' voice was no more than a strangled whisper as he gazed at his old Headmaster, still attempting to comprehend the unfolding events.

"A deflection spell." Dumbledore explained, "I was not entirely sure if it would work."

Any further questions James' may have had were abolished by the sound of infant crying from above them.

"I think you had better comfort your wife." Dumbledore said, the merest hint of the natural light returned to his eyes as he watched the young man sprint up the stairs. Moments later, more crying had ensued, this time of joy.

The Hospital wing was bathed in the warm orange glow on an old lamp, it light casting away the shadows, helping dispel the darkness of the previous events and the even dark thoughts of what might have been.

Dumbledore had wanted to ensure that James had sustained no indirect damage from the Killing Curse, the decision which now found James and Lily once again within the walls of Hogwarts. Madame Pomfrey had made sweet lemon tea whilst she performed detection charms of James, once fully satisfied that there were no adverse side effects, she bustled away, leaving James, Lily and Harry on one Infirmary bed whilst Sirius and Dumbledore sat opposite them on another.

"Professor I still don't understand what happened tonight." Lily spoke up first, in her arms lay Harry fast asleep but her forest-green gaze was fixed upon Dumbledore.

"Neither do I at least no entirely" Dumbledore conceded, he leaned forward touching the tips of his fingers together. "Sirius came to me tonight to tell me that your Secret Keeper had disclosed the nature of your whereabouts," From beside Dumbledore, a noise akin to a growl issued deeply from Sirius' throat. "I left for your house immediately, I feared I would be too late. I saw Voldemort enter your home, saw you James courageously stand your ground and then saw the curse fly towards you. I must admit, the deflection spell was more from instinct that judgment."

"I thought there was no counter-curse to _Avada kedvra_." Stated James in an unusually small voice.

"There is no known one, however I do believe that you, James, played a key role in its inefficiency tonight." James' look of confusion deepened, so Dumbledore continued. "Tonight you willing offered yourself as a sacrifice in order to buy your wife and child adequate time to escape," Lily's hand slid into James', their fingers intertwining, "the love displayed through that action did, I believe, strengthen the force of the deflection spell into something close to a counter-curse."

Several moments of silence followed this, in which Lily squeezed James' hand a little tighter and Sirius gazed at his best friend with an immense sense of pride. Lily finally broke the silence, broaching the subject that until then had been conspicuously dodged.

"How did you find out that he…that we had been given up?" Sirius scrubbed his face hard with hands, his first few words muffled slightly by his palms.

"We knew for some time that a traitor had been present within the Order. Most thought it was Remus, Merlin even _I_ believed it. We decided to play them at their own game, place a handful of individuals undercover within Voldemort's circle. It took a while, but the evidence was conclusive. James, I am so sorry."

James's face which had been clenched in silent anger suddenly fell into a look of surprise. "What do you have to apologise for?"

"I persuaded you to choose Pettigrew. I thought it was the perfect curve ball, I didn't know, I never thought…" Sirius' voice trailed off. James crossed the small space between the two beds and grasped his shoulder.

"Listen to me, you have nothing to apologise for, we all agreed to the plan. You saved our lives tonight Sirius." Sirius broke their gaze to look over at Lily who smiled kindly, nodding, affirming her gratitude. James gave Sirius' shoulder a firm squeeze, before returning to sit beside Lily.

"Whilst James is absolutely right, the fact that you were betrayed is not to be overlooked. Peter Pettigrew must be found and brought to justice. But for tonight, I believe you could all do with a good rest." Dumbledore concluded, standing up and making to leave the room. Before he made it to the door, Lily's voice halted him.

"Is he gone Professor? Voldemort?" Dumbledore glanced sadly over at her, the small black-haired boy still slumbering in her arms.

"I do not known I am afraid, but I do doubt he is gone forever."


End file.
